JP2007109027A - Data storage device with fingerprint authentication function - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve confidentiality of stored data by protecting copyright of distributed digital music data, digital data and sound digital data. <P>SOLUTION: This data storage device with a fingerprint authentication function comprises an analogue sound input part and an output part for an analogue sound signal. The device also comprises a means for previously recording fingerprint data of a specific user in the device, a means for reading a user's fingerprint image, and a means for collating the read fingerprint image and the fingerprint information of the specific user previously recorded in the device. The device further comprises an analogue signal control part which permits input/output of the analogue sound signal only when the user is confirmed as an authorized right holder for browsing or updating data stored in the device according to the collating result, and a USB control interface which permits input/output of data communications to various electronic equipments only when connected to the various electronic equipments and confirmed to be the authorized right holder as described above. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention enables copyright protection of various digital data (music, documents, document reading voice, conversation, still images, video images) and recorded audio digital data distributed via the Internet, mobile phones, etc. The present invention relates to a data storage device with a fingerprint authentication function capable of enhancing data confidentiality.

  In recent years, the spread of computers has been remarkable due to the rapid use of the Internet. Many information terminals, including computers, tend to be mobile, but on the other hand, there are also movements that carry only the necessary information and data and perform the necessary processing on the visited computer. The number of external storage devices sold has reached several million. However, such an external storage device is vulnerable to data protection from a third party.

  As seen in the enactment of the Personal Information Protection Law in Japan, the leakage and leakage of important confidential data is attracting attention as it may lead to the existence of companies. Therefore, many companies prohibit electronic data from being taken outside.

As a countermeasure against this, the necessary electronic data is encrypted with the user's fingerprint information and recorded in a portable external storage device, and “identification using fingerprints” is performed using a computer prepared at the destination. Attempts have been made to ensure the security of electronic data by “decrypting” (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-345759).

However, in this method, it is necessary to carry both a portable external storage device and a fingerprint reading device, and furthermore, both the external storage device and the fingerprint reading device can be used on a personal computer provided on the go. The software to be conditioned is not necessarily installed in advance, and its use is limited.

Therefore, by integrating the external storage function and the fingerprint reading and authentication function, the inventor of the present application has first described the specific user in order to realize a safe working environment for safe carrying of electronic data and data processing thereby. Means for pre-recording fingerprint data in the apparatus; means for reading a user's fingerprint image; means for comparing the read fingerprint image with fingerprint information of a specific user recorded in advance in the apparatus; Only when it is confirmed that the above user is the right holder of the right to view or update data stored in the device according to the result of verification, data communication with connected electronic devices can be input and output. Proposed a data storage device with fingerprint authentication function (Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-249421).
JP2003-345759

  However, with the widespread use of the Internet and mobile phones, external storage devices with a function to play back distributed digital music, audio, and document reading audio data are on the market, but illegal copies of distributed music and audio data are on the market. The protection function is insufficient, and illegal copying can be performed freely. Conversely, the protection function is too powerful and the use of the owner is excessively restricted, making it difficult to protect the copyright.

  In addition, with the spread of portable digital audio recorders, voice and conversation are converted into digital data and stored in an external storage device. However, the confidentiality of recorded data and the copyright protection function are insufficient. In addition, it is easy to tamper with the recorded data, and there is a problem with reliability.

  Furthermore, although external storage devices that can record FM / AM and TV audio recordings as digital data, and reproduce and copy them are widely used, there are problems such as lack of a copyright protection function for the recorded data.

  In view of the above circumstances, the present invention has an input / output unit for analog audio signals, and further includes means for previously recording the fingerprint data of a specific user inside the apparatus, means for reading the fingerprint image of the user, and the read fingerprint image. And means for verifying the fingerprint information of a specific user recorded in advance in the device, and according to the result of the verification, the user has a right to view or update data stored in the device. Only when it is confirmed that the user is an authorized person, it is connected to an analog signal control unit that enables input / output of an analog audio signal and various electronic devices, and is confirmed to be a right holder as described above. Data with fingerprint authentication function including a USB (universal SERIAL BUS) control interface that enables input / output of data communication with various electronic devices. A memory device is proposed.

  Note that in the data storage device according to the present invention, the USB control interface is activated and activated via the USB only after being connected to various electronic devices, and after a series of fingerprint verification processes, the user is stored in the device. Control so that the physical connection of the storage device is not recognized by the electronic device and is logically recognized as being disconnected until it is confirmed that the data is authorized to view or update data. It has a function.

  The data storage device according to the present invention has an A / D conversion unit and an encryption / encoding unit, and has a function of digitizing an input analog audio signal and storing it after encryption / encoding, It has a decoding unit and a D / A conversion unit, and has a function of decoding a stored signal, converting it into an analog signal, and outputting it.

  Further, the analog audio signal input section of the data storage device according to the present invention includes an FM / AM / TV audio tuner in addition to those connected to the external antenna.

  In addition to music signals, FM / AM and TV audio signals, analog audio signals processed by the data storage device according to the present invention can be used to store, play, copy, and edit voices and conversations recorded using an external microphone. By doing so, confidentiality of these music, voice, and conversation can be enhanced.

  Furthermore, it is used for fingerprint verification of various distribution data (music, documents, text readings, conversations, still images, video images) using the Internet and mobile phone networks or music data received from external computers such as personal computers. By assigning and storing fingerprint data or an ID number associated with the fingerprint data, unauthorized copying and remodeling of stored and stored distribution data can be prevented.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to realize an external storage device as a safe electronic data storage place on the premise that access to electronic data requiring high confidentiality is restricted to a right holder by fingerprint authentication. The

  In addition, since the distribution music data and various distribution data, recorded voice, conversation data, FM / AM, and TV voice can be reproduced and copied only when it is confirmed by fingerprint authentication that it is a valid user, The copyright can be protected.

  In addition, since the data storage device according to the present invention is provided with a fingerprint reading function, an authentication function, a data encryption / decryption function, and a recording / transmission means, the software for exclusive use on the electronic device side is provided. Wear is not required, and it can be used for any electronic device having a normal connection / communication means (for example, a USB port).

  An analog voice input unit having an A / D conversion unit, an encryption / encoding unit, a decryption unit, and an analog voice signal output unit having a D / A conversion unit are provided, and fingerprint data of a specific user is stored in advance in the apparatus. And a means for checking the fingerprint image of the user, and means for checking the fingerprint image of the specific user recorded in advance in the apparatus, and according to the result of the check An analog signal control unit that enables input / output of an analog audio signal only when it is confirmed that the user is a right holder to view or update data stored in the device, and various electronic Only when it is connected to the device and it is confirmed that it is a legitimate right holder as described above, the fingerprint authentication has a USB control interface that enables input / output of data communication with various electronic devices. Function per data storage device.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the illustrated embodiments. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a data storage device with a fingerprint authentication function according to the present invention.

  The data storage device is provided with a CPU 1 as an overall control area, a RAM 2 as a reading / reading work area, a rewritable nonvolatile memory 3 as a registered fingerprint or confidential data storage holding area, and a non-rewritable one-time memory 4.

  Data such as registered fingerprint information and confidential data is stored and held in the nonvolatile memory 3 and the one-time memory 4, respectively. The data storage device according to the present invention includes an area for encrypting and decrypting data as necessary. An area 6 for encoding / decoding data 5 to 5 as necessary is provided, and these data are encrypted or encoded in the area 5 to area 6 in advance and stored and held, so that safety can be improved.

  The data encrypted or encoded and stored in the nonvolatile memory 3 is used after being decrypted in the areas 5 to 6 when used.

  The data storage device according to the present invention is provided with a fingerprint sensor 7, a fingerprint sensor control unit 8, a fingerprint image processing area 9, and a fingerprint collation area 10.

  The user reads the fingerprint with the fingerprint sensor 7 and the fingerprint sensor control unit 8, and further processes the fingerprint image in the fingerprint image processing area 9.

  On the other hand, fingerprint data registered as a valid user written in the one-time memory 4 that cannot be rewritten is read, and fingerprint collation is performed in the fingerprint collation area 10.

  The one-time memory 4 can be protected by being placed under the control of the CPU 1, but it is also possible to improve safety by embedding it in the fingerprint collation processing area 10 as shown in 4a.

  The data storage device according to the present invention includes an analog audio input unit 11 connected to an external microphone, an FM / AM / TV audio tuner 12 connected to an external antenna, and an analog audio output unit connected to an external speaker / earphone. 13, the analog audio input unit 11 and the analog audio output unit 13 are provided with an analog signal control unit 14, and the FM / AM / TV audio tuner 12 is provided with a tuner control unit 15.

  The analog audio input unit 11 and the FM / AM / TV audio tuner 12 are provided with an A / D converter 16, and the analog audio output unit 13 is provided with a D / A converter 17.

  Furthermore, the data storage device according to the present invention has a USB communication function for connecting to various electronic devices, and a USB control interface 18 capable of opening and closing a data communication path to the connected electronic device based on the result of fingerprint verification. It has.

  As the USB communication function, the pin terminal of the USB plug attached to the electronic device is shown in FIG. 2. The first and second pins are the power pins 20, the third and the fourth pins are the data pins 21 (D + , Called D-, the details are featured: The latest USB device & device driver creation interface (CQ publisher) November 1998 issue, feature: Original USB adapter transistor technology to make (CQ publisher) June 2000 No., USB Organization (USB Standards Association).

  The data pin 21 is controlled by controlling the USB control interface 18 by the CPU 1 after the data storage device is activated.

  Specifically, the USB control interface 18 is powered on and started up via the USB only after being connected to various electronic devices, and after passing through a series of fingerprint verification processes, the validity of browsing or updating data stored in the apparatus is verified. Until it is confirmed that the user is a right holder, the USB data pin 21 is controlled so that the physical connection of the storage device is not recognized by the electronic device but is logically recognized as non-connection. To do.

  In addition, the USB control interface 18 is connected to various electronic devices, activated by receiving power supply, and after confirming that it is a right holder to view or update data stored in the apparatus, the USB control interface 18 The USB control interface is controlled so that the data pin 21 is controlled to be recognized as a data storage device by the electronic device.

  The function of the USB control interface 18 in the data storage device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  In the embodiment of FIG. 3, for the sake of simplicity, a case will be described in which a personal computer and various portable terminals provided with a USB port are assumed as the electronic device 30.

  In general, electronic devices equipped with a commercially available USB port have software for communication with a USB memory as a standard, and need not be installed separately.

  When the USB plug of the data storage device is inserted into the USB port of the electronic device 30 (see 31 in FIG. 3), the data storage device is powered by the electronic device 30 and activated (see 32 in FIG. 3).

  After starting up, the data storage device controls the USB control interface 18 (specifically, D +, D−) from the CPU 1 (see 34 in FIG. 3), and maintains a non-connected state (35 in FIG. 3). The pin 21 is set in an idle state (see 33 in FIG. 3).

  That is, the electronic device 30 cannot detect the USB path connection unless the data pin 21 is changed from the idle state (see 38 in FIG. 3).

  In this state, the data storage device reads the user's fingerprint (see 36 in FIG. 3), processes the fingerprint image, and processes the fingerprint image (see 37 in FIG. 3). The fingerprint data registered as a valid user is read (see 39 in FIG. 3), and fingerprint verification is performed (see 40 in FIG. 3).

  As a result, when the fingerprint provider is identified as the user, the USB control interface 18 is set to be connected (see 41 in FIG. 3), and the electronic device 30 is made to detect the USB path connection.

  Thereafter, a protocol as a normal USB memory is established and frame transmission / reception is performed (step 42).

  Further, when the data in the nonvolatile memory 3 in the data storage device is sent to the electronic device, it is decrypted as described above, returned to plain text data, and sent to the electronic device 30.

  When data stored in the data storage device according to the present invention is copied through the USB control interface 18, it is transmitted to the external device as data in the USB memory according to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  In the above data storage device, the voice signal input to the analog voice input unit 11 can be encrypted and rewritten in the area 5 after passing through the A / D conversion unit 16 only when it matches the registered fingerprint as a result of fingerprint collation. It is stored in the nonvolatile memory 3 and further written in the one-time memory 4 that cannot be rewritten.

  Further, when recording voice and conversation, they are encoded in the area 6 and stored in the rewritable nonvolatile memory 3 and further written in the rewritable one-time memory 4.

  Note that a copyright protection function can be added to the one-time memory 4 by writing a protection attribute such as a copy number limit in advance.

  On the other hand, an analog signal control unit 14 is connected to the analog voice output unit 13, and the data stored as described above is decoded in the regions 5 to 6 only when the fingerprint matches the registered fingerprint as a result of the fingerprint collation, and the D / D After passing through the A conversion unit 17, it can be reproduced by an external speaker / earphone through the analog audio output unit 13, or can be copied to the electronic device 30 or deleted in the electronic device 30.

  Further, the FM / AM / TV audio tuner 12 is provided with a tuner control unit 15, and an analog audio signal received by the tuner 12 is passed through the A / D conversion unit 16 only when it matches the registered fingerprint as a result of fingerprint verification. After that, it is encrypted in the area 5 and stored in the rewritable nonvolatile memory 3 and further written in the rewritable one-time memory 4.

  The stored signal is decoded in the areas 5 to 6 only when it matches the registered fingerprint as a result of the fingerprint collation, further passes through the D / A conversion section 17, and then is reproduced by the external speaker / earphone through the analog audio output section 13. Or can be copied to the electronic device 30 or deleted within the electronic device 30.

  The distribution music data and various distribution data (music, document, document reading voice, conversation, still image, video image) are encrypted in the area 5 only when the fingerprint matches with the registered fingerprint through the USB control interface 18. The data is stored in the rewritable nonvolatile memory 3 and further written in the rewritable one-time memory 4.

  The music and audio data in the distribution data can be decoded in the area 5, further passed through the D / A converter 17, and then reproduced by the external speaker / earphone through the analog audio output unit 13, or stored in the electronic device 30. It can be copied or deleted in the electronic device 30.

  When recording music, voice and conversation, the data is encoded in the encoding area 11 and stored in the rewritable nonvolatile memory 3, and further written in the non-rewritable one-time memory 4, and the written data is obtained by fingerprint authentication. Only those who have been confirmed as legitimate users can play, copy and delete.

  When this data is reproduced by connecting an external speaker / earphone, it is executed by decoding it in the area 6, converting it to analog in the D / A changing unit 17, and outputting it in the analog audio output unit 13.

  The analog audio signals received by the FM / AM and TV audio tuners 12 are converted into digital signals by the A / D converter 16 and stored in the rewritable nonvolatile memory 3, and also pass through the D / A converter 17. It is sent to the analog audio output unit 13 and can be reproduced by an external speaker or earphone.

  On the other hand, digital data stored in the rewritable nonvolatile memory 3 can be transferred to various electronic devices 30 via the USB control interface 18, and in this case, only a legitimate user can perform this function by the fingerprint authentication function. Can be used.

  Further, the music data received from the various electronic devices 30 is stored with the fingerprint data used for fingerprint collation or the ID number associated with the fingerprint data being stored, thereby illegally copying the stored and stored distribution data, Can protect against modifications.

  In these operations, only a user who has a legitimate right by the fingerprint authentication function has a function that can use this function.

  In short, according to the present invention, it is possible to protect the copyright of digital music data distributed over the Internet, a mobile phone, etc., various other distributed data, and recorded audio digital data, and to enhance confidentiality of stored data. .

Block diagram of a data storage device with a fingerprint authentication function showing an embodiment of the present invention It is a pin assignment of a USB plug (example of type A) attached to a data storage device with a fingerprint authentication function in the above embodiment, where (a) is a sectional view and (b) is a top view. The flowchart of the process between the data storage device with a fingerprint authentication function in this invention and the electronic device connected via a USB control interface

Explanation of symbols

1 is CPU
2 is a RAM for reading and reading work.
3 is a rewritable nonvolatile memory 4 is a non-rewritable one-time memory 5 is an encryption / decryption area 6 is an encoding / decoding area 7 is a fingerprint sensor 8 is a fingerprint sensor control unit 9 is a fingerprint image processing area 10 is a fingerprint verification area Reference numeral 11 denotes an analog audio input unit 12 FM / AM / TV audio tuner 13 analog audio output unit 14 analog signal control unit 15 tuner control unit 16 A / D conversion unit 17 D / A conversion unit 18 USB Control interface

Claims (7)

It has an analog audio signal input / output unit, further means for pre-recording a specific user's fingerprint data in the apparatus, means for reading the user's fingerprint image, and the read fingerprint image and recorded in the apparatus in advance. It is confirmed that the user is a right holder of the right to browse or update the data stored in the device according to the result of the verification. Only when the analog signal control unit that enables input / output of analog audio signals and when connected to various electronic devices and confirmed to be a valid right holder as described above, A data storage device with a fingerprint authentication function, comprising a USB control interface that enables input / output of data communication Only after the USB control interface is connected to various electronic devices, it is powered on and activated via the USB, and after a series of fingerprint verification processes, the user has the right to view or update the data stored in the device. 2. The fingerprint authentication according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device has a function of controlling the physical connection of the storage device so that the physical connection is not recognized by the electronic device until it is confirmed that the device is logically disconnected. Data storage device with functions. 2. A data storage device with a fingerprint authentication function according to claim 1, further comprising an A / D conversion unit and an encryption / encoding unit, wherein the input analog voice signal is digitized and stored after being encrypted / encoded. 4. A data storage device with a fingerprint authentication function according to claim 3, further comprising a decryption unit and a D / A conversion unit, wherein the stored signal is decrypted, analogized and output. 2. A data storage device with a fingerprint authentication function according to claim 1, wherein the analog audio signal input unit includes an FM / AM / TV audio tuner. 2. The data storage device with a fingerprint authentication function according to claim 1, wherein the analog voice signal is a music signal, FM / AM and TV voice signals, voice recorded using an external microphone, conversation or the like. For various distribution data such as music, documents, document reading voice, conversation, still images, video images, etc. using the Internet and mobile phone networks, or data such as music, voice, documents, images received from external computers such as personal computers 2. A data storage device with a fingerprint authentication function according to claim 1, wherein fingerprint data used for fingerprint verification or an ID number associated with fingerprint data is assigned and stored.

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